Telenews Theater

1540 Woodward Avenue,

Detroit,
MI48226

My father was the Theatre Manager for the Detroit Telenews in the mid to late 1950’s from the forties. I was with him on numerous times at the theatre in the fifties. Had many good times there!
TR Wheaton

I am very interested in learning as much as possible about the operation of the Telenews chain of theatres. To understand my interest, please read the comments below which I placed on a similar, but broader ‘message board’ for the Dallas Texas Historical Society. As you can see, my father was the manager of the Dallas Telenews during WWII. I would greatly apprecitate knowing your personal experiences being a part of the Telenews organization and what you might know about the day-to-day operation of the one-hour newsreels and other news providing aspects of the Telenews like the radio station that was in the original Detroit Telenews. From your comments you may only know this based on the scrapbook you mentioned and from talking with the long-time manager

Thanks very much.

Nick Aronson
.edu
Mobile Alabama

Posted on the Dallas Historical Society Message board:

I have been searching for people who remember the Dallas Telenews, which was an all-newsreel theatre downtown that started in 1941 and was an important visual news source, especially during WWII before the era of television. My father was the first manager of the theatre. My son and daughter and I are trying to write a professional historical article on the Telenews- my son is an Assistant Professor of film studies at the University of Oregon and my daughter is an archival librarian at the University of Mississippi. We are especially interested in personal accounts of what it was like to attend the “all news” theatre. My family (grandfather) went to Dallas in the early 1920’s and this was one of my father’s first jobs. I (and my son and daughter) would very much appreciate learning anyone’s remembrances of attending the news shows at the Dallas Telenews.

Earlier another Dallasite, Jim Stinson, posted a message here that mentioned his going to the Telenews and being fascinated with the lobby teletype. When my dad passed away in 1984, we found the teletype tape from that machine from Dec 7, 1941. It contained the announcement that the Japanese had attacked Pearl Harbor- my father had only started as manager in November of 1941, just a few weeks before Pearl Harbor.

I was one of the projectionist at the Telenews when the ownership changed to Nicholas George Theaters. There was still crude editing equipment in a side room. Shortly after the Grorges’s took over the manager (who had been there for years) came into the booth with two scrap books filled with pictures of the theaters glory days during WWII. Due to my interest in motion picture history he wanted me to have them rather than the Georges. It was filled with stars visiting the theater. Some time later Sandy George asked me for the books back. I did keep many of the prime photos.
Years later AMC before it turned into (AlwaysMoreCommercials)was doing a special on Michigan movie making. That was the last see of them.But not all of them.
The George’s decided to refirbish the theater. One projector badly need parts, one side was always out of focus. The reply, the customers can’t see the projector!
Filmo4

As of July 2004 Bleu is still in operation. The opening of a major corporate headquarters just down the street has spurred the development of new restaurants and lofts and gives hope that the old Telenews will continue to survive as an entertainment venue.

I fondly remember the Tele-Arts phase. The theater was restored and operated as a labor of love by a local businessman, Carl Allison. It was wonderful to have a movie theater within walking distance of our downtown home, at a time when the nearest theaters were at least a 20 minute drive away. It was even better that Carl programmed foreign and revival films that were difficult or impossible to see anywhere else. It was at the Tele-Arts that I saw my first Peter Greenaway film, my first viewing of “Manchurian Candidate”, and the once-in-a-lifetime chance to see Todd Haynes “Superstar” the now legendary and banned biography of The Carpenters as performed by Barbie and Ken dolls (funny, but also a serious and even moving exploration of anorexia, now forbidden because of problems with the music rights). We really miss the Tele-Arts, Carl, wherever you are!